It is known to press the capsule strip against the strip of thermoplastic material, to seal the strips together, e.g. by hot-melt adhesive, around the rim of each receptacle, prior to performing a cutting-out operation in which the two strips are cut through simultaneously, and to separate the receptacles from the cutout strips which then constitute a grid of waste material.
When the receptacles are to be presented in groups of at least two receptacles interconnected by a bridge, care is taken to perform the cutting operation in such a manner as to preserve the bridge, in which case only the capsule strip is cut through in register with the bridge.
Regardless of whether receptacles are presented individually or in groups, the capsule of each receptacle extends over the top edge of the receptacle without projecting beyond said top edge, i.e. the outlines defining the edge and the capsule coincide.
In order to open such a receptacle and consume the product contained therein (e.g. a food product such as a yogurt, a fruit compost, or a beverage), it is necessary to detach the capsule from each receptacle.
Arrangements are generally made to provide sealing between the receptacle and the capsule in a region of the edges thereof that is set back somewhat from the outline so as to provide a pull tab. Insofar as the outline of the receptacle and that of the capsule coincide, it is necessary to be able to lift the tab off the edge of the receptacle, e.g. by inserting a fingernail between the tab and the edge, before it is possible to take hold of the tab in order to pull it and detach the capsule from the receptacle.
This operation is awkward and requires skill that some people do not possess, for example children or old people.
Furthermore, the size of the tab is limited by the shape of the edge of the receptacle and it does not always provide the user with a large enough area for grasping in order to make it easy to detach the capsule from the receptacle.
Receptacles exist in which the capsule presents a projecting tab which is folded down against the wall of the receptacle. That tab is easily lifted and generally offers a gripping area that is large enough for it to be easily detached from the receptacle.
That type of capsule is in the form of a relatively rigid cover, e.g. made of aluminum foil, which is cut out prior to being put into place on the receptacle and which is crimped onto a bead presented by said edge.
Such receptacles having a bead and a rigid capsule lead to high cost price, since the receptacles cannot be made by thermoforming at high rates of throughput and the capsules must be put into place and crimped individually.